Embarking on research how does this change your mindset as a designer? Emma Jefferies (Nearly a Dr.!)
Background Multimedia Designer > PhD in Design - Developing and Fostering Designers’ Visual Skills
Would research affect my creative? What would be gained through engaging in research?
What is your mindset as a designer?
What is your mindset as a researcher?
My Design Mindset
As a designer I... learn through doing and interacting with a community - observing, thinking and communicating am interested in understanding humans - how we think, communicate and interact with each other am inquisitive and open minded - Asking why and why not? am determined like findings new approaches
My Design Approach
Design brief
Design artefact
Gain feedback
My Research Mindset
As a research I... learn through doing and visualising - trial and error am interested in human learning am open minded and questioning am determined finding new approaches learn through enabling collaboration learn through explicit reflection on experience and self
Example 1: The focus of the study Learn through doing and visualising Open minded and questioning Determined How can a designers’ visual knowledge and processes (visual reading and writing skills) be fostered in a digital era?
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Example 1: The focus of the study
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Levels of visual literacy skills are not consistent with design experience
Example 1: The focus of the study
Levels of visual literacy skills are not consistent with design experience Viewpoint of visual development changed: - Everyone has their own visual practices, foster through reflection. - Cognitive > social This realisation lead to a change in: Focus: How are designers’ visual practices developed and fostered? Paradigms (quantitative to qualitative) to make a new contribution.
Example 2: My research approach collaboration reflection
Stage A
Design artefact
Stages: A – Planning, designing and creating a prototype
Example 2: My research approach
Stage A
Design artefact Stage B community
Stages: A – Planning, designing and creating a prototype B – Implementing the artefacts
Example 2: My research approach C
St ag eC
ge Sta
Stage A
Design artefact Stage B community
Stages: A – Planning, designing and creating a prototype B – Implementing the artefacts C – Observing and reflecting on artefacts
Example 2: My research approach C
eD ag St
St ag eC
ge Sta
Stage A
Design artefact Stage B community
Stages: A – Planning, designing and creating a prototype B – Implementing the artefacts C – Observing and reflecting on artefacts D – Discussing the problems that have been identified with co-participants
Example 2: My research approach C
eD ag St
St ag eC
ge Sta
Stage A
Design artefact
Stage E Stage B community
Stages: A – Planning, designing and creating a prototype B – Implementing the artefacts C – Observing and reflecting on artefacts D – Discussing the problems that have been identified with co-participants E – Redesigning the artefacts
Task 2
Seeing:
Reflect:
To improve: She need to take responsibility for her work by:
...She works hard through trial and error where decisions are based on personal opinion and knowledge.
...She doesn’t reflect on her work or herself, therefore her decision-making is not informed.
1. Reflecting regularly, questioning ‘what’, 'where' and 'how, to understand 'what is appropriate' for her audience.
...She can see the need for change if this is pointed out to her.
... single minded does not seek to add to her knowledge pool.
Barriers which stop 'Seeing’:
...unquestioning about her work, finds it difficult to offer suggestions to others. ‘Looking but not seeing’
Dr. Watson
‘Looking and Seeing’
Sherlock Holmes
‘Knows when to look and when to see’
2. Employing methods to question and update her knowledge during the: b. Development stage: a. Research stage: Expand: Brainstorming and sketch work. Expand: Brainstorming and sketch work. Explore: Inspiration of all types, be Explore: Inspiration of all types, inquisitive and question visual images magazines, artists, exhibitions, looking throughout the design process. around and see alternatives. Analysis: Taking time to “see”, and analyse Analysis: To employ guidance from others. what they are seeing.
Seeing:
Reflect:
To improve:
...Knows he is capable of ‘seeing’ using trial and error and previous knowledge, but will realise there are other ways to see by: -taking photographs -understanding his audience -sketching -new research material. ...He takes responsibility of his work by: -questioning his work. -offering feedback to others, wants to contribute. -being able to take direction and incorporate this into his practice.
...He reflects on his work giving a good diagnosis, see his weaknesses. However he does not yet reflect on himself.
3. Reflecting on himself: a. To realise when it is necessary to take some time to 'think', when the stake are high. Asking: ‘Why am I doing it this way?’.
Barriers which stop 'Seeing’: ...sometimes he does not know when and how to use his ‘seeing’ ability. ...does not feel confident enough to look round the edges. ...pursuit of perfection can stop him moving on and experimenting.
Seeing:
Reflect:
...Applies himself to new challenges by: -looking at the audience and brainstorming. -discover new knowledge to help him solve problems. -interested in looking beyond his peer group for insights. -comparing his work to others -actively seeking feedback from others. -still working by trial and error but guided by a systematic process,developed through past notes. ...However, he realises the importance of evaluating 'what is appropriate', before putting new process and data into practice.
....takes ownership of his own learning by: - questioning what he does not understand. -takes responsibility for his work. -Reflects upon problems actively, (regularly). -reflect on himself.
Barriers which stop 'Seeing’: ...There may be times when he over reflects, which stops him from solving the problem.
He needs to take ownership of his learning through:
b. To acquire an understanding of any weakness in his learning style. Asking: ‘…is there anything stopping me from seeing?’ 4. Developing as a self-directed learner by: c. Being more adventurous, trying a. Actively seeking to update his out new ideas or tools. Feeling brave knowledge rather than waiting for enough to explore further, analyse information from others. what is unusual and what is not b.Seeing that failure is a positive thing, understood. and that failure early in a project can lead to a better outcome and learning experience.
To improve: He must constantly transform his ability to see and learn through: 5. Continuing to question, evolve, experiment and change 6. Apply reflection on a plan by: a. Acquiring an understanding of any weakness in his learning, taking this into account when planning.
b. Developing some imaginative ways to plan, trying new methods 'of seeing'.
Handout 2 - Visual Inquiry Personas
Mrs. Hudson
10
Example 3: Innovating the viva finding new approaches To devise shorter questions - post-it notes Present a visual map of thesis for presentation and debate
DISCUSSION MAP: Characteristics of a Meaningful Visual Pedagogy in Design Education
Research Question
Research Opportunity
Hypothesis
‘How can visual pedagogy in design education become meaningful to design students and educators?’
a. Understanding how students’ visual practices are currently fostered in design education.
Developing characteristics of a visual pedagogy that promote explicit and student-centred approaches to fostering students’ visual practices will contribute to meaningful learning experiences.
b. Understanding how students’ visual practices can be fostered in design education.
Studio Model: Visual literacy is developed through doing, dialogue, questioning, self-reflection and self-awareness
Sociocultural Way of Seeing Linguistic
RC1
Identify: Literature Review Drawn from visual literacy and learning theory. (p.35)
Sociocultural
First
Opportunity Opportunity Sociocultural Opportunity First Sociocultural Way of Opportunity WaySeeing of and and Strategy Seeing
Strategy
1. Linguistic
RC2
Explore: Visual Experiment Finding 1 Levels of visual literacy skills are not consistent with design experience. (p.139)
RC3
Explore: Action Research Developing how the group interacts with each other. Fostering students’ visual practices in a holistic manner. (p.200)
RC4
Explore: Case Study Group interacts: common language, aspirations. Holistic manner: independent learning, engagement.(p.235)
RC5
Explore: Peer review (p.279)
Strategy Exploring Differing Perspectives of Visual Literacy in Design Education
Identify Opportunities and Strategies
2.Sociocultural -Group -Holistic
Reading the Narrative
The Sherlock Holmes Personas
Sherlock Holmes Personas (p.282)
Sociocultural Way of Seeing a shared understanding of visual practices that involves a particular design community.
The Characteristics
Individual’s Way of Seeing
RC1
Identify: Literature Review Selfassessment assessment
Opportunity Opportunity Individual’s Way Way of Seeing of Seeing
Second Opportunity and Strategy
RC3
Strategy Strategy Reflectand and Reflect Articulate Articulate their Visual their Visual Practices Practices
Learning style exercise in the action research (p.39)
Drawn from design and learning theory (p.39) Explore: Case Study
RC4
Learning Log in the action research (p.166)
Learning Log in the case study (p.39)
RC5
Explore: Peer review
Explore: Action Research
a self-awareness of an individual’s own visual practices that can be explicitly communicated to others.
Reflective diaries
Individual’s Way of Seeing
(p.283)
Critical Ways of Seeing Opportunity Critical Ways of Seeing
Identify Opportunities and Strategies
Third Opportunity and Strategy
What defamiliarisation
RC1
Drawn from visual literacy, learning theory and technology factors. (p.41)
Strategy Question What and How
How metacognitive knowledge
RC2
RC3
Critical Viewing
de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats
a critical awareness of an individual’s or group’'s Ways of Seeing that allows the individual to analyse and question what and how they see. Self-Evaluation Activity
Critical Ways of Seeing The Characteristics
(p.250)
Practical Examples
Identify: Literature Review
What: deBono’s 6 Hats
Explore: Visual Experiment Finding Three Differences were found between visual literacy skills when altering a visual component of an image for different domains. (p.41) Explore: Action Research Enabling students’ questioning of what and how they
RC4
Explore: Case Study (p.208)
RC5
Explore: Peer review
How: Looking and Seeing
A response to the research question: Characteristics of a Meaningful Visual Pedagogy in Design Education
a self-awareness of an individual’s own visual practices that can be explicitly communicated to others.
The Sherlock Holmes Personas
Reflective diaries
a critical awareness of an individual’s or group’s Ways of Seeing that allows the individual to What: analyse and question deBono’s 6 Hats what and how they see.
Individual’s Way of Seeing
Critical Ways of Seeing Sociocultural Way of Seeing a shared understanding of visual practices that involves a particular design community.
The Characteristics
The characteristics provide a structure, processes and practical examples to inform the act of fostering students’ visual practices in design education.
The Characteristics
(p.279)
Philosophy
Understanding: Design students will develop visual practices through an understanding of how they have applied their visual skills during a design project.
(p.296)
Aid Educational Objectives
The philosophy that underlies the characteristics provides the beneficiaries involved in design education with a clear picture of how design students can develop their visual practices.
Practical Examples
How: Looking and Seeing
Communication: Design students will develop visual practices through dialogue, with tutors and peers, which help them to question what and how they see.
Design Process
The design process aids engagement with the characteristics; which enables the research to become a usable piece of knowledge, aiding questioning of how students’ visual practices are fostered and how they wish to develop them.
4. Change in mindset?
What as not change? learn through artifacts and visualising - trial and error Interested in human Open minded and questioning Determination Finding new approaches Embody the problem
What has changed? Learn through enabling collaboration Learn through explicit reflection on experience and self Development of social process through the design of artefact
So What? Increased ability to deal with complexity problem Understand and critical of different viewpoints Enable creative in others
Thank you. Questions are welcome emma.jefferies@gmail.com